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Hampton Pond straddles Hampshire and Hampden Counties in western Massachusetts. It lies near the Holyoke town border in Westfield and Southampton. It was, like many such areas, developed in the late 1800s to serve the quick-growing industrial city of Holyoke. In 1903, the electric trolley reached it, ensuring its popularity. A bandshell and lake house were built in the park, and evening dances were held in the summer. For working-class people, a park such as Hampton Pond offered an opportunity to leave the close quarters of the city for inexpensive recreation.